Heaven's Tears
by Scully2
Summary: Spoilers S7 Heroes. Chapter 4 is up. Sam faces the after effects of Heroes, which has serious repurcussions for SG1 as she continues to put her life on the line to prove a point. Its up to Jack and her friends to help her through it, but will she listen?
1. Default Chapter

AN: As always would love to hear what you think, the good the bad and the ugly :o)

This is going to be a bit on the angst side (I hope), between Sam and Jack, with maybe a little whumping here and there for good measures . So sit back and enjoy the ride.

Spoilers: S7 Heroes

Rating:PG13

**HEAVEN'S TEARS**

The sky was dark and overcast, droplets of rain fell from the sky; 'Heaven's Tears' her mother had called it when the rain began to fall. She never really appreciated the saying until now. For the last hour she had let the tears fall once more. Passers by didn't stare at her in wonder at how someone could cry so openly in public. Here it didn't matter. Everyone understood, as they'd all felt the same at some point in their lives. It was why she came to 'this' place, to shed those tears that she hid in the furthest point of her mind as she carried out her daily duties. Time and time again she sat here, sometimes speaking to her friend as if she were still with her, other times solitude was her companion. Today was one of those times whereby she needed to hear the sound of rain falling heavily onto the ground. The wind picked up and she unconsciously wrapped her coat around shoulders to gain a bit of warmth. But, it didn't matter how many layers she put around her body, her soul was cold and she wondered if she would ever feel 'warm' again.

A crackling sound of thunder could be heard in the distance; a storm was brewing. Looking up at the sky, it was black and unwelcoming, but she didn't care. Lightening bolted across the sky like a fireworks display, followed then by a crack of thunder. Instead of seeking shelter, she found herself transfixed by the ongoing light display that streaked before her eyes. The droplets of rain became heavier, until the rain bounced off the ground… and still she sat.

The wind whistled through the trees and she realised that she was now the only person left in the cemetery, watching over her friend's gravestone. She still couldn't believe that she'd never see her friend smiling…laughing again. After giving the memorial she thought that it might help take the pain away…allow her to grieve, but she was wrong. Too many people that she cared about had died in her life, and she was tired. Tired of going through this charade that she was a soldier and that grief sometimes had to take a back seat. She knew that, like it or night, people died in the line of duty, she understood that that was a possibility when she'd signed up to the Stargate programme, but knowing it and experiencing it was two different things. Burying her head in her hands, she cried. Tears merged with the rain that fell through her finger tips like a waterfall, and once she started, she didn't know how to stop it.

"Carter." The voice was soft, tinged with regret and sadness.

Looking up in the direction the voice was coming from, she wiped her tears away as if suddenly ashamed. "What are you doing here?"

"Cassie was worried. She called me, asking if I'd seen you."

"Well now you have, you can go back and tell her." Sam replied coldly. She came here to get away from everything and everyone. Having him here made her feel more vulnerable; she hated him seeing her like this.

"So, you're just going to sit here feeling sorry for yourself? Who's that going to help?" He asked sitting beside her.

"It helps me."

"Carter…" He replied lightly, "She's gone, and like it or not its time to stop living under this black cloud you have hanging over you. Not just for your sake, but for everyone's."

" So I'm not allowed to grieve…is that what you're saying?"

"No, what I'm saying is, sitting here in the cemetery in a thunderstorm is not helping anyone. What would Janet think…seeing you here, like this?"

"Yes well that's just it isn't it. She's not here, and she's never coming back. And there's a young girl back home that I haven't got a clue how to comfort…how do you console someone whose lost her whole family once more? What do I say to her?"

"You don't have to have all the answers, Carter, no one expects you to."

"Don't they? Good old Sam, she'll fix it, she'll know what to do. 'Super Sam' to the rescue. Well this time, I don't have the answers…I can't fix this." Sam countered, standing up and walking towards Janet's grave, her gaze transfixed on the words her and Cassie had chosen for the headstone.

Watching his 2IC struggle internally with all her pent up motions, Colonel Jack O'Neill struggled to find the words to console her. 'Pep talks' weren't his strong points. He'd tried it once with Teal'c and had failed miserably, he wished Daniel were here to talk to her, but he wasn't and now he found himself uncomfortable sitting beside her; torn behind being her CO and her…friend? He didn't know how he felt about her, but being here, sitting beside her, feeling her vulnerability emanate from her caused his emotions to turn in on themselves.

"Don't do this to yourself, Carter."

"Do what?"

"Sam." One word was enough; he'd been in this 'place' after Charlie had died, a path to self-destruction. His mind had been so focused on feelings of guilt, that it had nearly consumed him, like a burning ember filled with self-loathing that he'd come through so many missions. Life had never seemed so cruel. A life full of promise had been extinguished like a burning candle snuffed out in its prime. It had taken him a long time to come to this point where he didn't dread waking up in the morning, hating himself, thinking about how different his life would have been if Charlie had lived…but, that was the past. His main problem now was ensuring that his 2IC wasn't heading down that same path.

Placing a hand on her forearm, he felt her pull away form him.

Closing her eyes in silent protest, she couldn't let him sneak under her defences. It was just too painful. As his hand brushed slowly down to hers, she tensed. It was as if an electrical charge had passed between them.

No. She had to do this alone. It would be too easy to give in, and have him hold her in his arms as he did that night in the infirmary; where she had felt so safe and secure. But, like it or not, she had 2 choices. Carry on with the pain knowing she could lose him and her friends at any time, or shut off her emotions. Rolling up all her pain and storing it away in some distant part of her mind was the only way she could get through this. No matter how hard it was going to be, she wouldn't let him see her break down. Not now…not ever.

Taking a steadying breath in, she replied without a hint of emotion. This was how it had to be. "Sir, I appreciate what you're saying, but I'm fine." It wasn't that she didn't appreciate him coming, but the reason for her coming here was to try and gain some perspective. She'd lost friends before, they all had, but this time it was different. Janet was like her sister, when Janet had died, she felt as if she'd lost part of herself…and she didn't even know if she could get that back. "Thanks for the talk, but I'll have to get back. I'll see you tomorrow, sir." Sam replied finally not allowing him a chance to respond. Without giving him a second glance, Sam walked casually down the stony beaten path, the rain cascading down her face, masking her tears.

Jack O'Neill watched his 2IC, worry etched in his clear brown eyes. He knew she was grieving, they all were in there own way, but he'd seen something else in her expression. Her eyes once full of life now seemed cold and lifeless. Recalling his conversation with Daniel earlier, it was Daniel's request that he speak to her first, and then when Cassie had phoned, he'd known exactly where to find her. It's time she had a pep talk, Daniel had told him in his usual way. But, he was never any good at that sort of thing…Daniel was better. Watching the lone figure disappear from his field of vision, he sighed. Time to talk to Daniel.

End of Part 1


	2. Lost Soul

Spoilers: S7 - Orpheus (baby spoiler) Heroes

Rating: PG13

Disclaimer: Oops forgot that last time, dopey me. This may come as a shock to some of you, but Stargate doesn't belong to me. It's sad, I know, but alas it's true.

AN: thanks everyone for your feedback, here's hope you're liking the story.

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**Chapter two - Lost Soul**

The Stargate room bustled with activity; it was going to be their first mission since that fateful day when they had lost a good friend. Looking around the gate room, Jack brushed back his thinning grey hair with the palm of his hand. He knew that the first mission since they'd lost Janet was going to be difficult, he'd never pretended otherwise. This time though it seemed as if there were a sense of apprehension, something lurking behind the scenes that he couldn't put his finger on.

On all the missions and scrapes they'd gotten into in the past, they always had the assurance that Janet could put them back together again, no matter what state they had gotten themselves into. Now though they had to rely on a stranger if things went wrong. He knew deep down the person they'd recruited to replace the Doc would be okay, otherwise they wouldn't be here. But still, that sense of apprehension washed over him for a brief second.

"So?" The voice whispered softly so only Jack could hear.

Turning round to face the young man, he looked at him quizzical, uncertainty as to what the young archaeologist was asking flickered through his eyes. "What?"

"You know."

"I don't know, Daniel, which is why I asked 'what'."

"You know." Daniel hinted with his eyes flickering over his shoulder.

"Siler?"

"Do you practice being obtuse, or does it come naturally?"

"Daniel, it's 06.30, get to the point."

"Sam, you know…the talk you were going to have with her yesterday."

"Think back to Teal'c and getting his mojo back."

"Ah."

"Exactly. Can't you talk to her, you're good at that sort of thing." Jack stumbled lightly. Even talking like this with Daniel was making him feel uncomfortable, and he found himself shuffling his feet in silent protest.

"You're her CO." Daniel replied with slight conviction.

"Your point?"

After seeing Daniel raise his eyebrows in protest, Jack decided to back off, it really was his place to speak with her about it, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

"Fine, I'll do it."

"Good." Daniel finished with dramatic flair. "She's hidden herself in a corner ever since she got here. You can have a nice long talk with her on the way to P49 3XY."

"Don't push it, Daniel, 06.30 remember? I haven't even had coffee yet."

"And they say that I'm the caffeine addict around here."

Mumbling to himself, Jack sauntered in the complete opposite direction, he wasn't ready for anything this early in the morning, not these days. The recent injury seemed to have taken a lot out of him, and while it was usually his way to 'bounce back' to his old self…and he used the term loosely, this time was different. Not that he thought himself old, far from the contrary. His mind felt as active as it was 30 years ago, unfortunately his body didn't seem to be so co-operative.

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Major Samantha Carter was tired, her whole body felt as if it had aged 20 years in the last few weeks. Her eyes once full of sparkle and vibrancy seemed vacant and lifeless. The last few weeks had caught up with her, and she felt as if her whole life was on a treadmill and she was playing catch-up. It wasn't just Cassie she had to help overcome her mother's death, it was everything else that accompanied it, all the financial affairs, Janet's wishes regarding her daughter, everything. With all the funeral arrangements and the mountain of paperwork she'd had to contend with, Sam now found herself at a loss. Everything seemed to have settled down and now it was just her and Cassie, both of them grieving in their own way, but each not sure how and when life would return to normality again…or that it ever would. They'd each lost family before, and people always said that time was a healer, but both of them knew that that wasn't the case. They both knew that in the end you just got used to the emptiness that was left behind.

Sam felt the presence of someone watching her; goose bumps caused the hairs on the back of her neck and arms to stand. She knew who that person was, but she couldn't face talking to him…not yet. The memories and feelings were too raw, the thought that she could've lost him as well had stirred up feelings within her that she'd thought she'd buried a long time ago…apparently she was wrong. His concern for her now was only exacerbating those feelings and until she had full control on her emotions, she didn't think she could cope with his kindness. She felt like an emotional time bomb ticking away waiting to explode, but she was damned if she were going to let him see her like that. So, ultimately she had to shut off her feelings, and all that was left was emptiness; a dark pit void of all feelings and emotions apart from a burning ember that was stored deep within her psyche bubbling under the surface.

"Carter."

His hand rested lightly on her shoulder, and she felt herself stiffen at his touch.

"Sir."

"You okay?"

"Fine."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Not particularly…sir."

"We're due to ship out."

"I know. I'll be ready in 15." Sam answered mechanically.

"Good." Jack replied awkwardly. "Before you go…" Jack continued releasing his hand from her shoulder. "About yesterday, at the cemetery…"

She couldn't listen; she knew she'd break down once more. Now wasn't the time or place and with finality she said. "Excuse me, sir. I know you want to talk about it, but I don't. I'm fine. Now if I may be excused, I have to get ready, sir."

Jack nodded and affirmative then watched her walk out the gate room with purpose in her stride, then sighed with some resignation; well this was certainly going to be an unforgettable trip. Daniel would be hankering him to talk to Sam, Sam would continue to stonewall him for the duration of the mission and Teal'c, and well, at least he had him to count on if nothing else.

End of Part 2


	3. Disobeying Orders

**AN: Thanks everyone for your feedback, I know it may seem a bit slow, lol, but I promise, I need to do this to set things up. So would love to hear your views, the good the bad and the ugly, lol.**

**Maor Spoilers: S7 -Heroes**

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**Disobeying Orders!**

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The trip through the event horizon to the other side was uneventful and conversation less as they walked solemnly through the overgrown path, which Daniel had said, would lead them to a nearby village that according to recent data files from the UAV depicted some dwellings. During the recent mission briefing, Daniel believed the planet and its inhabitants were still very much a primitive society, but that the meteorological survey showed naquada in its purest forms along with some ruins to the west of the village that appeared to be abandoned. Due to Daniel's keenness to explore the ruins and the possibility of acquiring the naquada, General Hammond had agreed with only slight reservation. His reservation along with the Colonel's was based on their previous missions involving sites containing naquada deposits, missions that invariably led to a standoff between the Goa'uld and SG1. This time they hoped that lady luck was on their side, and it was about time.

According to Jack's calculations, they should reach the village within 4 hours; plenty of time to strike up conversation with his 2IC, and while Carter didn't appear to be in a very talkative mood at the moment, he knew that by the end of the mission he would give her no other option but to talk it through.

Falling into step, Teal'c and Daniel had taken point while he and Carter took flank. It had been almost 3 hours since they'd left the gate and she hadn't uttered a single word. Normally lack of conversation didn't bother him, but this wasn't a comfortable silence. This was the sort of silence, which niggled in the back of his mind driving him to the brink of annoyance. He hated it and needed to clear the air, before it came to a point whereby it would cause problems within the team.

"Carter."

Here it comes. Sam thought as her shoulders stiffened against her backpack.

"Talk to me." Jack asked openly, quickening his pace to keep up with her increasing speed.

"What would you like to talk about, sir?" Sam replied nonchalantly keeping her gazed focused on everything around her, apart from him.

"Is this how its going to be from hereon in?"

" I just don't want to talk about things."

"Like it or not, you're going to have to."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?" Jack asked stopping in his tracks.

"Well, have I failed in my duties? Have I once let my feelings interfere with my work? No."

"That's not the point, Carter."

"Really, sir? Then what is the point?"

"Do I really have to spell it out? Is that how you want to play it, Major?"

"I'm not playing anything, sir."

"Damn it, Sam. I've been down this path, and trust me you don't want to go there."

"With all due respect, Colonel. I'm grieving." Sam retorted sarcastically, her temper gaining momentum with every breath she took. "People grieve in different ways and just because I don't behave, as you would have me, it doesn't mean there's something wrong. So we can we leave it at that. I'm tired of discussing this over and over. If its not with you, it's with Daniel or Teal'c. And you know what, sir. I've had it talking about Janet's death. Now if you'll excuse me, we're lagging behind." With that she stormed off into the distance leaving a bewildered looking Colonel.

Sighing with increasing frustration, he shook his head. Well, he'd wanted a quiet mission, and with Carter unlikely to be talking to him for the duration it seemed as if he was going to get his wish…just not in the way that he'd hoped. Walking with purpose in his stride towards the densely overgrown forest, it was clear that his mood was becoming darker; he couldn't force her to talk, that much was evident. He just wished it didn't have to be like this.

Before his thoughts overtook him a piercing scream shattered the air. Stopping dead in his tracks, he could have sworn it was a female screaming, but it wasn't coming from Carter. Running towards his teams vicinity with concern in his eyes he didn't even have the chance to ask in which direction it was coming from when Teal'c advised, "I believe it is coming from the far end of the forest O'Neill."

"We have to go check it out." Sam stated unequivocally. "There might be someone in trouble."

"Isn't there always." Jack replied deadpan, looking over at Daniel. "Daniel, was their any indications from the MALP telemetry to confirm a civilisation on this planet?"

"Yes, but the village is miles away from the gate. There are some abandoned mines and structures around here, but from what I've seen it's long been abandoned."

"Obviously not. Okay kids; keep your eyes and ears open. Teal'c take point, I'll cover your six. Carter, you getting any readings Goa'uld or otherwise on your little gadget."

"I'm getting faint energy readings, sir which seem to be coming from a north westerly direction. I don't know how that can be, given the fact that from all accounts this part of the world seems long since abandoned, but the readings are clear. From the sounds of the scream, we know that there are obviously people around here."

"Okay lets get a move on."

"Jack, there should be some dwellings where Sam's indicating, it was on the aerial survey that the UAV took."

"Then that's where we're going."

Circumnavigating their way through the forest, it was clear that their had been very little human activity within the forest for some down. The native flora seemed to have snaked its way up through the wilderness of trees that surrounded them. The forest reminded him of the land of light; dark and overcast, only a small proportion of light seemed to be filtering through the overgrown branches and leaves that nestled high above them. The paths, if he could call them that, were treacherous. Broken branches and debris littered their pathway as they ran headlong into the forest.

A sense of anticipation filled them as they neared the ornate structure. They could barely make out the edge of the forest before they heard a second blood-curdling scream, followed by the shouting of a young man. Increasing their speed, they finally made their way out of the Amazonian type forest. Checking the parameter for any sign of covert activity, Goa'uld or otherwise, they made their way with increasing wariness to the sounds they heard earlier.

"Sir." Sam pointed out, a young man, barely older than about 12, dressed in traditional clothing from all appearances. He seemed to be trying to reassure whoever was in the overgrown structure in front of him.

"I see him Carter."

Turning around at the footsteps behind him Kaleb backed away from the strangers that approached him. Fear cut through his young features like a knife he'd been warned of the strangers that may come through the 'ring of light' and here they were standing before him. Worse still, his fears weren't for himself but for Aaliyah, he couldn't abandon her in the ruins, she could be hurt, unable to defend herself from those that stood before him.

"Who are you?" He questioned, his eyes never leaving the weapons they held in their hands.

"We heard screams." Daniel told him softly seeing the terror in the young mans eyes. "Is someone in trouble? If there is, we can help."

"Aaliyah, she's in the cave. We were exploring and it started falling in on us. You're not from this land, why would you help us?"

"It's our way. Look, how long has she been in there? Is she hurt?" Sam asked him softly and with a note of urgency

"It happened not long ago. We found some things, and she didn't want to leave without the artefacts…why? Why would she risk her life for something like that?" Kaleb asked hurriedly looking back and forth between the caves and the strangers.

"Trust me, she's not the only one to do things like that, is she Daniel?" Jack asked peering up to the young archaeologist.

"Let's discuss my shortcomings later, shall we Jack?" Daniel replied, squinting his eyes in protest at the accusation.

"Daniel, Teal'c go have a look round the other side, maybe there's another way in. This looks as if it's going to collapse any minute."

A panicked voice shattered through the cavern before them. "KALEB, PLEASE HELP ME!"

A worried glance towards the shadowy cavern behind him left his emotions reeling. His heart raced at the decision he had to make – to trust the strangers' word or leave Aaliyah to find help. Ultimately, he knew he had no choice. He had to trust them.

"Sir, we can't leave her in there." Sam pleaded. She couldn't lose someone else on her first away mission after Janet, no matter what the cost.

"Carter, I'm not sending anyone through until its stable. We need to brace the entrance first. Kaleb is there anything that we could use to support the entrance, timber, rocks, rope…anything?" Jack replied with a hint of urgency.

Torn between helping Aaliyah and allowing the strangers access to the sacred mines, he reluctantly accepted their help, but he knew that whatever happened here today, word would get out amongst the villagers at his time here with Aaliyah. "There are some older buildings not far from here that might have the things you need, but what about Aaliyah? I can't leave her here on her own."

"Carter. Stay here, talk to her, reassure her we'll try and get her out."

"Sir…"

"Don't 'sir' me Carter. No one is going in until we can get that thing stabilized, understood?" Jack responded firmly eying her sceptically, unsure if she was even listening to him.

"Yes, sir."

The cavern appeared to be collapsing in on its self, debris from previous cave-ins scattered the floor where they stood. One thing was clear for all to see, the entrance to the mines wasn't stable enough for them to make a rescue attempt, not just yet.

"Kaleb show me the way."

Running towards the structure's far off in the distance; Sam continued to hear the girl's cries. In reality she wasn't sure she could keep her promise to the Colonel. As time went on, Aaliyah cries became louder and no matter what she said to calm down, nothing seemed to be working. The young girl was terrified that she would die within the ruins, and Sam couldn't let that happen.

Pacing the confines of the mines, she watched as dirt continued to fall to the ground from the ceiling. Time seemed to be going slowly as she waited for the others to return. She felt helpless. Time was definitely running out, and she couldn't sit back any longer and wait for her friends to return. "Colonel, come in."

"Go ahead, Carter." Jack called from the distance, proceeding to gather some timber.

"Sir, the cave is becoming increasingly unstable, how far off are you?"

"We're just on our way back." Jack advised her through his walkie-talkie

"Sir, I'm not sure you're going to get back in time." Sam replied watching the dirt from the cave fall softly against the cavern floor. Her eyes glanced back and forth from the horizon to where Teal'c and Daniel were hurriedly looking for a way in.

"Carter stay put, we're on our way back. Do not do anything, you hear me?"

"Sorry, sir. I can't hear you. Too much static." Sam lied through the radio. Switching the radio off, she apologised openly for something she had to do.

"Damn it, Carter. Do not, I repeat DO NOT do anything." Jack shouted down the radio, knowing full well what her intentions were. His face shook with anger and frustration. "Carter, come in?" Instead of hearing her voice, he received deathly silence, no static, no reassurance from the other end, nothing. "Teal'c, Daniel do you copy?"

"Jack, we can't find any entrance."

"Is Carter with you?" Knowing full well she wasn't, but he had to ask the question for his own piece of mind. Finding the radio conveniently working without any problems, he realised that it must have been her who turned off the radio.

"No, we left her at the mines. What's wrong?" Daniel asked beginning to feel as if something had gone horribly wrong.

"Kaleb and I are on our way back. I think Carter has gone and done something stupid. I need you to find her, try her on her radio and get back to the entrance a.s.a.p. I'll be there in 5. O'Neill out." Jack was not happy, how could she go and disobey his orders. He knew she'd gone into the cave; it was like a sixth sense. Thinking about how she was when he left, he wondered if he'd done the right thing by leaving her there, particularly knowing her frame of mind. The risk taking was something he was too familiar with, and seeing that look in her eyes when he had told her not to go in, now only reinforced the fact that something else was going on in that mind of hers.

"Aaliyah, I'm coming to get you. Sit tight and I'll try and reach you. You need to keep perfectly still, don't try and move around; otherwise the whole structure could come down on both of us. Understand?"

"I'm scared, please don't leave me alone."

Her voice was pitiful. It tugged at Sam's heartstrings and for a split second she wondered if those had been Janet's words and feelings of fear and abandonment. She didn't know, because she wasn't with her when she died, and the guilt remained constant. She'd promised Cassie that no matter what happened, she'd never have her mom placed in danger, not after the loss of her biological parents. But that's exactly what had happened, and there wasn't a damn thing she could have done to prevent it. This was different though, she reminded herself, she could help this girl, and at least hopefully spare her family what her and Cassie had gone through.

"Please hurry, the walls are coming in…I'm frightened." Her sobs resonated through the dark murky tomb that was holding her prisoner.

"I won't leave you, but you have to listen to me." Sam replied snaking her way through the strewn timber cast down in her path. The opening was so small that she literally contorted her body to weave through the maze of wood that sealed the entrance. Flurries of soil and pebbles fell from the roof onto her hair and face, as she carefully moved the obstruction from her path. Coughing with the effects, she wiped away the sullied mud from her eyes enabling her to see what was in front of her.

Jack had been right, the structure was unstable, there was no denying that. She just hoped that he understood to some degree why she had to do this. In truth though, how could he know what she was thinking or feeling… particularly when she had no plans on telling him what feared her most of all. That was something that she had buried deep within her psyche, he couldn't learn the truth behind her fears

The mine, filled with debris, was dark and murky a stench emanated from within the cavern as if the place had been abandoned for years. She couldn't see her hand in front of her face the darkness was that black. There was no way she could get to the girl without disturbing the structure more, so she did the only thing she could. Kneeling on the ground, she used her hands as her eyes to weave her way through the abandoned cavern, slithering along the muddy ground like a snake, her uniform was soaked and sodden from what appeared to be a heavy storm that had since passed.

Finally seeing an echo of a light in the distance, she squinted her vision, there was definitely something glowing, a light source. It didn't seem to a torch light, or candle, this was different. Whatever it was, the cavern slowly began to fill with light the nearer to the source she got. Listening intently, she heard the gentle sound of a mechanical hum coming from within. Straining to hear, it initially sounded like a humming bird, but the closer she got towards the light source, the louder the humming became. Calling out to the young girl, she listened intently to some kind of a response. It had been more than a few minutes since she'd heard the girl's cries, and wondered if something had happened. She cried out in the darkness. "Aaliyah."

The silence continued, and Sam felt her heart sink.


	4. Wraith of the Gods

AN: Sorry for not updating in ages RL is too hectic for words. Thanks for your patienceand your wonderful reviews,i'll try not to be so long with the next chapter. Big thanks to Helen for betaing this for me.

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**Wraith of the Gods**

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Damn it! Was it possible that she was too late to save her? No! She wasn't prepared to accept that possibility, not when she was so close to reaching her. She hadn't done all of this, for the girl's life to be snatched away.

The tunnel had narrowed considerably; there was no way she was going to make it without brushing away the debris that lined the floor. She swept the dirt away delicately, taking great care not to disturb the surrounding structure. Suddenly she heard a rumble in the distance catching her off guard, and she felt the earth tremble beneath her. An Earthquake. Without warning, the structure became unstable, soil erupted from the ground like a volcano spewing its lava, there was nowhere she could go to brace herself from the full force. She had no other alternative but to curl up into a ball and hope for the best. She could just imagine the colonel's words of wisdom resonating in the darkness, "Put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye!"

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Running as fast as his legs could carry him, Jack rushed towards the cave's entrance, just as the ground beneath him began to tremble. The effect knocked him off balance and he watched as Kaleb fell to his knees.

"Daniel! Teal'c!" Jack shouted above the rumble. The sky was beginning to turn decidedly nasty, but he persevered. "Teal'c? Do you copy?" All he received though was static.

Shaking his head, he realised that there must be some magnetic interference affecting the radio. Damn her! He should have never let her stay there on her own. What was he thinking? He knew that there was something lurking behind her steely blue eyes. But after everything they'd been through, he had been of the opinion that no matter whether she disagreed with his judgements or not, she'd never directly disobey his orders.

He'd been wrong.

Arriving at the mouth of the cave, the earthquake took them all by surprise, there had been no smaller shakes from the ground indicating any kind of seismic disturbance, making Daniel and Teal'c wonder what it was that had triggered this off. They supposed it was possible that the same tectonic plates that caused earthquakes on Earth could be evident here, but without a geological survey, they supposed they'd never know. For the time being though, their concern wasn't for the planet's crust, but for their friend who was almost certainly trapped underground…or worse. Seeing Jack rush towards them his eyes pensively searching for some sign of her on his way, they realised that there was only one place she could have gone; inside the structure.

"Have you seen her?" Jack asked his remaining team members, his face flushed from the exertion of running back to the cave.

"You don't think…" Daniel asked watching Jack's reaction carefully, then proceeded, "…no, she wouldn't."

"Wouldn't she? The way she's been acting lately, nothing would surprise me. So help me, if the earthquake hasn't flattened her, then I will."

"Jack!"

"Don't, Daniel, I'm not in the mood. I need you and Kaleb to secure the rope around the timber structure."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going in, so enough of the chit chat," Jack replied firmly, ensuring that there was no room for argument. "Teal'c, give me a hand with this." He finished, moving the fallen debris out of the way to make room for the newly acquired lumber needed to secure the entrance.

"Jack, what if there's another tremor?" Daniel shouted above the clap of thunder.

"I'm not leaving her in there, Daniel."

"I'm not suggesting you do, but at least let's look at all the possibilities. We haven't had time to search the entire perimeter yet. All I'm saying is, give us a chance to see if there is another way in."

"Kaleb?" Jack turned around and faced the young boy directly. "Is there or isn't there another way in?"

"I don't know. Aaliyah and I have been searching these ruins for several days now, and this is the only way in as far as I know," Kaleb replied stony faced, obviously fearful of the repercussions that he might face.

"There you go, Daniel. I'm not prepared to waste hours searching for something that may or may not be there. Now haul that beam up there and quit with the talking."

"Jack, I know you're angry with her…" Daniel looked over at a stoic faced Teal'c; whoseeyes said it all. Jack wasn't prepared to listen to anything that they had to say. At a risk to his own safety, he was prepared to lay his life on the line for a member of his team. It wasn't the first time he'd done something like this, and Daniel hoped it wouldn't be the last.

"Don't go there, Daniel," Jack ventured heatedly at the young archaeologist. His eyes blazed with silent fury at his 2IC for going against his orders. He knew there was a chance that she could be dead. From the look of the structure, there had certainly been a cave in, and he was worried as well as angry. If she was in there, and still alive, he was going to make damn sure she understood how pissed he was at her.

* * *

Inside the ruins, Sam felt the walls crumbling all around her. Trying to protect her head and her airway was her main priority as the soil and debris continued to close in. The roar of thunder seemed to resonate through the cave's long narrow hallways. Curling her body tighter into a little ball. Keeping her eyes closed, she watched without any hope of escape, as stone fragments hurtled towards her, striking her arms, legs and finally colliding with her head, as the rock around her started to fracture. Suddenly she felt water trickling through her fingers, which were gripped around her head. As if time was standing still it dawned on her, that it wasn't water… it was blood. A slight panic rose up in her chest at the thought that she might never see daylight or her friends again. A small voice crept inside her mind telling her that there was a very real possibility that she was doomed to be trapped in this place forever. Mercifully that train of thought didn't last long, as she felt her vision closing in around the edges before she passed out unceremoniously on the damp soil beneath her.

* * *

"Carter!" Jack pressed his ear as close to the opening as he could get and called out her name incessantly. Nothing. The only sound he could hear was the wind whistling through the cavern. For what seemed an eternity, he continued to call her name, but it was all in vain. There was no sign that she could hear him, and his concern for her well being increased expedentially. His calls fell on deaf ears as torrential rain opened up from the heavens pummelling the inhabitants on the ground. A fierce storm was brewing and Jack was growing more impatient as the weather seemed intent on hampering their efforts.

Their clothes, drenched from the torrential rain, clung to their bodies as if it were a second skin. With hair plastered to their faces and the wind whipping around their bodies in a whirling frenzy they tried valiantly to put up the last post, which would stabilise the structure.

Above the roar of the storm, Kaleb who'd kept quiet spoke above the claps of thunder overhead said, "We can't stay here for much longer."

"Why not?" Daniel enquired with a furtive glance towards him as he securely tied the rope around the man made posts.

"This whole area floods when the storms come."

"Why didn't you tell us this earlier?" Daniel retorted snapping his head round to look at Jack.

"I was frightened that you wouldn't help us if you knew about the floods. My mother warned me not to come today, but I had promised Aaliyah that I would meet her here. I couldn't break my promise."

"You picked a hell of a time to tell us, Kaleb," Jack barked at the young lad.

"It is not his fault, O'Neill."

"He shouldn't have been playing around here in the first place."

"Were we not reminded some time ago, O'Neill, that the very young do not always do as they are told?" Teal'c advised him, recalling the advice given to them by the Nox.

Jack sighed in response; deep down he knew that it wasn't the kids' fault they were here. But somehow the thought didn't reassure him in the slightest. Tying the last knot in place he realised that this was about the securest it would get. And in light of the impending disaster waiting to hit him and his team in the not too distant future, he knew it was now or never.

* * *

Waking up with a thumping headache, Sam tentatively opened up her eyes and groaned. Gingerly she turned herself over, and felt a shiver rush through her bones causing the hairs on her arms to rise with the drop in temperature. Taking a steadying breath she stated aloud, "Not one of your greatest plans, Sam."

Checking herself over to ensure that no permanent damage had been done she tried to remove the clog of dirt that had somehow worked its way up into her nostrils, and in an unladylike fashion, she tried to clear out the mess, with only little success. "Glad the colonel's not here to see that," she declared openly to the vast darkness in front of her.

Taking a good look around, she realised that staying there just wasn't an option, she'd come in here for a reason, and if nothing else she was going to make damn sure all of this wasn't for nothing. Picking herself up of the ground, she saw the devastation first hand. As her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness she realised that it wasn't as bad as she had anticipated. With a renewed sense of hope she made her way to the light source that she'd seen before the earthquake.

"Aaliyah!" Sam shouted, her voice resonating in the caverns. Still nothing, there was no sound emanating from within the tunnel except for a gentle humming sound, which seemed to be getting louder the closer she got to the glow.

Treading carefully she finally found her way through the catacombs that snaked the long since abandoned hallways, before finding her way into a small chamber. The room was lit by what appeared to be some kind of power source held centrally in the middle of the compact 'room'. Her eyes scanned around for some sign that the girl was nearby, she was sure that given her options, the girl wouldn't have strayed too far from the light source, but she was nowhere in sight. All she could see before her was the girl's shawl that lay haphazardly by the artefact.

Picking the clothing up, she looked closely at the material held in her hand. There was no sign of blood, and from the look of everything around her, there didn't seem to be any reason why the girl would wander far from here, particularly knowing that help was on its way. Walking over to where the girl had laid down her belongings, she rubbed her hand through her hair; frowning at what lay before her. It didn't make any sense. Why would she disappear, how could she disappear? There really was nowhere else the girl could have gone. Was it possible that there were more underground caverns lurking behind the walls? She didn't know, but she was determined to find out. People didn't just vanish into thin air, there had to be a logical explanation for it.

The machine. That must have something to do with it. Where else could she have gone? A thought crossed her mind, that maybe the machine was a teleportation device of some sort or possibly a time portal? Or on the other hand it could just be a fancy light source? At this point, it was all just speculation. There was just something niggling her that didn't sit right about the machine. Why would someone hide this sort of technology? She supposed the inhabitants might not realise it was here, but then, if that was the case, did that mean that the settlers here weren't native to this region?

Sighing with frustration, she walked over to the artefact; its surfaces were smooth like a console apart from the surface, which felt coarse around its ridges. The language on the interface was nothing like she'd seen before, and she hoped that maybe Daniel could look at it, if the colonel ever let him in here that was! As her mind took her back to not more than an hour earlier, she realised that when the colonel did eventually catch up with her, she was in deep trouble. Then, just as if their minds were linked, she heard a concerned voice calling from the shadows.

"Sam!"

Whipping her head round, she realised that it was the colonel's voice. "Sir, follow the light source," Sam shouted back, hoping he wasn't as pissed off as he sounded. She knew she'd have to face the consequences of her actions.

It couldn't have been more than a few minutes before he found her standing up against a large machine, her face covered with a mixture of dried mud and blood. She looked a mess. From her guilty, expressive eyes, she knew that she was in for a dressing down from him.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked, quietly moving towards her.

"I'm fine, just banged up a bit."

"Good, because if you ever pull a stunt like that again, Carter, I will haul your ass over the coals," Jack raged, his face burning with un-vented fury at her defiance.

"Sir, I was just…" Sam tried to explain, even though she knew there was no way he was going to listen. The look on his face made it perfectly clear that she had annoyed him big time by going against his orders.

"Save it, Carter. I don't want to hear it. Now pack up your stuff, we have to get out of here," Jack replied gruffly. Then looking around the room, he realised she was alone. "Where's the girl?"

"I can't find her. I've looked, sir, and wherever she is, she's not here," Sam replied sheepishly. Watching his reaction she became fully aware that her insubordination had been for nothing.

"Is there another entrance…exit…any place she could have gone?"

"No, sir. There's a small cavern further on, but it leads to a dead end."

"Well then you're going to have to leave the search and rescue, Carter. We haven't got much time to get out of here, this whole place is going to flood."

"Sir, we can't leave, what if she's got lost somewhere, or there's a secret passage…"

"Carter, what part of 'this place will flood' didn't you get? You've already told me there is nowhere she could have gone," Jack retorted, his patience wearing thin.

"But sir, we can't just leave her," Sam answered honestly. She didn't know who she was trying to convince more, herself or him. Couldn't he see that this was important to her?

"Carter, there is no one here to leave. Now, get your stuff, we're heading back." Watching Sam's gaze flicker around the room he finished stoically. "Now, Major! That's an order. You do remember how to follow them don't you?"

"Yes, sir," Sam replied, not meeting his steely gaze. Then turning to face the glowing machine beside her, she said, "What about the machine?"

"What about it?"

"Well, look at it, sir. What if it holds the secrets as to why Aaliyah's disappeared?"

"Carter. I don't care. We can come back another time."

"What about the floods? What if this…"

"Well, the fact that it's still here would sort of indicate that it can withstand the floods. I don't know about you, Carter, but I don't particularly relish drowning. We've been there, bought the T-shirt, barely escaped with our lives…remember?" Jack advised her, recalling the very vivid details of nearly drowning on the Goa'uld mother ship. Growing impatient with her stalling, he grabbed her arm. "We go now, Major. Or do I have to carry you out?"

"I'm sure I can manage, sir."

"Good. Move it." Jack finished pushing her out of the cavern. "Teal'c? Daniel? If you can hear me, I've got Carter, but there's no sign of the girl. We're on our way back. O'Neill out."

"Jack. You'd better hurry, the weather's getting worse," Daniel shouted against the backdrop of increasing winds.

Jack stole a look at the face of his 2IC noticing her cheeks develop a rosy tinge. She'd been found out. There was nothing wrong with her radio. "Copy that."

Shaking his head, he stole a gaze at her, "Well, fancy that, the radio's do work down here. Remind me to check yours when we get topside…it must be faulty!" Jack finished harshly.

"Sir…I…I can explain…" Sam stuttered nervously

"No you can't, so don't even try," Jack finished abruptly. Nothing she said would make any difference, not only had she disobeyed his orders, but she'd lied in the process. It was something he'd never expected from her. Throughout their time together they'd had disagreements. He never expected her to accept all his orders, but he damn well expected her to follow them through. And now she had lied to him. He had no idea what that was all about, but now wasn't the time or place to discuss it, and he made it very clear on that point that he didn't even want to talk to her for the time being.

Sam closed her eyes tightly, she'd done more than let him down, and she knew that. And he was right: her only defence was trying to ensure that no one got hurt. But unintentionally someone had…him, and their relationship, that bond of trust was cracked and she knew she had to work twice as hard to mend it, before the break became irreversible.

Carrying on in silence they stepped carefully over the fallen rocks and timber before them, making sure that they didn't disturb the ruins any further than necessary, and headed for the surface.

* * *

"Aaliyah?" Kaleb asked softly, but knowing full well that she was gone…just like the others who disappeared from his home. His hair was plastered to his face; the rain fell heavily down his tear-streaked face masking his tears. He couldn't believe she was gone, not Aaliyah. Why now? Where? Had she done something so horrible to cause this? It seemed only the Gods knew the reason for her indiscretions, and he wondered when it would be his turn to face them.

"I'm sorry." Was all that Daniel could say. He didn't know the circumstances surrounding the girl's disappearance, and would only find out when Jack and Sam returned, hopefully before it was too late. As things stood now, they were barely holding their own against the force of extreme weather that had descended upon them.

"We've angered the Gods. We must leave this place before we to disappear," Kaleb advised them solemnly.

"What Gods are you referring to?" Teal'c enquired preparing his staff weapon for possible battle.

"Our God. He's unhappy with us. He's the one who's causing the storms. We must leave here immediately otherwise we will all be taken...just like Aaliyah."

"Kaleb. It's just a storm. It might get a bit nasty for a while, but I'm sure it'll pass. We just need to find some shelter," Daniel advised him softly, trying desperately to placate him.

"No." Kaleb continued shaking his head at their lack of understanding. "You don't understand, how could you? You are strangers to this world. It is our way. When we transgress, our Gods punish us. Aaliyah should never have gone into the sacred ruins, her God is punishing her, just as he will with us if we don't leave here." In his heart Kaleb couldn't stand the thought of leaving this place, leaving her, but ultimately he had no choice. It seemed as if the 'Gods'that had taken Aaliyah, and to him, it was a sign that he should leave this place and never return…he realised that now.

"Sacred ruins?" Daniel queried stealing a nervous look in Teal'c's direction. Was it possible that they'd stumbled onto some sacred land, and interfered with something they shouldn't have? In all honesty he didn't know, but he needed to find out. If this friend of Kaleb's was truly taken by some unknown force for being in a sacred place, then what of his friend's?

"It was such a long time ago, it's what caused a great rift amongst our people. Our God is vengeful and he takes whomever he pleases. He is without mercy. The young, the old, it does not matter to him, the legend states that they are forced to serve him for all time."

"Have you ever met this God?"

"No, of course not. But I have heard the stories; I've seen what he is capable of. Aaliyah is gone, what more proof do you need?" Kaleb's indignation was clear for them both to see, what right did this stranger have to question his society's beliefs?

Sighing with small relief that they may not be in as much danger from an all out Goa'uld invasion as Daniel initially thought, he stepped forward slightly and moved the young lad into a small nook that sheltered him only slightly from the elements. "Well, in our world, we too have many legends. There are stories of people disappearing, but there's normally a logical explanation for it, Kaleb. Let's not worry until we have to, okay?" Daniel broached carefully, not wishing to shatter the boy's whole belief system in one go.

From the look on the young man's face, it was clear though that he wasn't convinced. Something was troubling the young man, and be it real or imaginary, the feelings emanating from him made it clear that something in the child's past had made a huge impact on him. It wasn't faith Daniel saw in the boy's eyes…it was fear.

* * *

"Carter, there's a pot hole about two feet to your left. Be careful," Jack told her softly, breaking the silence.

"Yes, sir." For the last half an hour they had walked, crawled and slid along the floor in silence, and she wondered if this was what it was going to be like from this point forward. The odd word here and there when it suited him, the strained atmosphere of working closely, she would hate it. Hopefully they weren't too far from the surface now. She was sure she saw a slight crack of light in the distance, either that or her eyes had quickly become used to the darkness. She was cold, wet, tired and had a headache that wouldn't quit. And to top it all, she was miserable. She hated that she had put him in this position, but did he really think that she could just stand idly by and watch someone else's life slip through her fingers?

Regret was a terrible thing. Over the last few weeks she'd thought about everything that had happened on P3X-666: Daniel's voice over the radio; his cries shattering over the airway as Janet was hit by a staff blast; and his heartfelt cry mingling with her own cries of panic as the colonel was hit directly in the chest. She still couldn't get over the fact at how close she came to losing both of them. If only she'd done something, worked harder, kept her promise to Cassie… The memory caused a shiver down her spine and unconsciously her teeth began chattering in the cold wind swept tunnels.

A funny noise behind Jack stopped him in his tracks. "What was that?"

"What?" Sam said softly listening to the emptiness around her.

"That noise. Listen."

"That would be my teeth," Sam responded, realising that it was her making the noise.

"Cold?"

"Not that you'd notice," Sam responded softly.

"Well then, mind keeping the chattering down to a minimum, it's making me cold," Jack replied pulling his collar up over his neck.

"Sorry sir, I'll try to freeze to death a bit more quietly." She really had no right to complain after all, it was her fault they were in this mess. But she couldn't shake off that disturbing feeling that settled in the pit of her stomach.

"We're all cold, Major. In case you hadn't noticed, we've got a bit of a weather problem going on outside, and if it wasn't for your little stunt earlier, we would be home and dry by now. But, no, you had to go and play hero."

Here it comes. Sam sighed inwardly.

"Just what the hell were you playing at, coming in by yourself?" Jack asked quickening his pace as his temper got the better of him.

"Did you expect me to just leave her in there all alone with…"

"I expected you to follow orders, Major," Jack rebuked coldly, cutting her off completely.

"I waited as long as I could. I didn't feel as if I had any alternative, sir," Sam told him in all honesty. "If you had heard her… you would have done the same thing."

"I issue orders for a reason, Carter. And one of those reasons is to ensure the safety of my team. You could have gotten yourself killed." He was angry with her. No, not angry, furious would have been a better description. He couldn't understand how she could brazenly put her life on the line like that, without even considering the ramifications of her actions.

The worst thing about all of this was that his emotions were in turmoil at the thought that he could have lost her. They had only just buried one friend, and he didn't want to lose another…what? Friend? Who was he kidding? He knew deep down that she was more than that, but for so long he'd buried his feelings for her that now he didn't know what to feel. Had their friendship…relationship . . . naturally come to an end since she had been with Pete? He honestly didn't know. A small voice crept up inside him, telling him that if his feelings for her really had faded into the background, then he wouldn't be feeling the hurt and the worry when she'd disobeyed his orders, or been concerned for her as much as he was when he saw the blood trickling down her face.

"I knew what I was doing sir…I wasn't in any immediate danger."

"Really? You're sure about that? If that's the case why's your head bleeding?"

"It was just an unfortunate accident."

"There was nothing unfortunate about it. Firstly, if you had waited like I told you to, you wouldn't have been caught in the earthquake. Secondly, you wouldn't be injured, and thirdly I wouldn't be freezing my butt off."

Before Sam had a chance to answer, she felt the familiar tremors beneath her mud caked boots. The ground shook violently and Sam tensed as the eruptions gained momentum. "Sir!" Her voice echoed in the vast darkness. Time seemed to stand still for a moment as her panic stricken gaze tilted northwards…the ceiling. It was coming down on them, and the Colonel was in its path. "NO!"

End of Part 4


End file.
